State Patrol: No grace period, no excuses on cell phones

Seattle Times ^ | 05/14/10 | SCOTT SUNDE

[AngelesCrestHighway]

The Washington State Patrol warned Friday that drivers who text or talk on a hand-held cell phone should expect a ticket on June 10.

No excuses accepted. Tickets will be handed out.

And if you are convicted, expect a $124 fine.

The State Patrol often has a grace period when a new law takes effect, but not with this one.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

"But officer I didn't know there was a law!....

T.S!....fork over $124!

[Dallas59]

When will the radio be next? Better just to get rid of cars all together.

[ol' hoghead]

Think REVENUE ENHANCEMENT! Safety is secondary.

[taxtruth]

Greedy cities and towns just fleecing the poor sheep.It’s not about safety it’s all about $$$!

[TChris]

*sigh*

More reality ignoring, feel good legislation.

I don't like living in Democrats' symbolic universe.

[NavyCanDo]

HONK IF YOU LOVE JESUS

TEXT AND DRIVE IF YOU WANT TO MEET HIM.

[steve86]

Safety is secondary.

I agree on many intersection and speed traffic cameras but not on this. This law is OK by me.

[I see my hands]

"It’s not about safety it’s all about $$$!"

So screw them and stay off the damn phone when you're driving.

[apillar]

When I hear about laws such as this, I always wonder how a Police officer driving 65 MPH down the highway prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that someone is using a cell phone. In most vehicles, especially larger trucks and SUV’s the back windows and all but the windshield and front side windows are tinted. So the only way to tell if someone is on a cell phone is to either get a quick glance through the windshield as they pass you or drive up beside them and look through the drivers window, which is difficult with vehicles that sit high off the ground. Then you get into issues with cellphones being as small as they are, how can the officer tell if it was a phone and not a pair of sunglasses or a wallet in the persons hand.

[taxtruth]

Don’t have a cell phone!

[Rio]

“It wasn’t my cell phone. It was my HAM radio!”

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

[I see my hands]

Well, then get one and stay off it while driving!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I’m on 24 hour emergency duty for a public utility, a water company. If I get a call when I’m driving, I look to see who it is, and I call them back when I get where I’m going. If it’s the utility’s head office making an emergency call, I answer! Over 1,200 people are counting on me to insure that they get their water, and that it’s safe. If that’s not a good enough excuse, they’ll see me in court!

[John D]

This law is OK by me.

What other laws would you like passed? How about no radio? What about no coffee? How about not talking to a passenger?
If a person is unable to talk on a cell phone and drive at the same time they have NO business driving in the first place. Don't take the few freedoms we have left just because of a few who can not walk and chew gum at the same time.

[rockrr]

Good questions.

I have a cell phone and I do use it with discretion. I did buy a hands free device but I still have to pick up the phone to answer and disconnect. I wonder if that is considered an offense as well?

If it is then any controls - heater, windows, turn signals should be equally considered a “distraction”...

[Right Wing Assault]

“Hello, Police? I saw a man grab a little girl and take her in his van. I can’t see the license plate so I am following him. What? I’m breaking the law and must pull over and stop before I can talk on the phone? Oh, OK. Hold on a minute.”

[steve86]

I did buy a hands free device but I still have to pick up the phone to answer and disconnect.

Are you sure the Bluetooth device doesn't have a button on it to do just that? I bought an earpiece at Big Lots for $13 with the remote connect/disconnect and it works just fine.

[stinkerpot65]

Just get bluetooth.

[steve86]

Let me guess -- you are the type that wants access to RPGs and heavy machine guns completely unrestricted. Fine for jokes, stupid for reality.

The problem with cell phones is vision obstruction in addition to attention (distraction). Unless you have an eye where most of us don't that would be a problem for you, too.

[TChris]

Results of Study on Cellphone Use Surprise Researchers

The reason the number of crashes involving cell phones has increased is simple: Cell phone usage has increased overall. Every activity has an increase of cell phone involvement as a result.

Incidents of bathing while talking on a cell phone have increased.

Eating while talking on a cell phone have increased.

Driving, both with and without accidents, with a cell phone has increased.

It is a fundamental misunderstanding of statistics which causes people to automatically misinterpret a statistical increase as cause.

For example, you will also find a statistical correlation between the square feet of domestic grass growing in a geographical area and the rate of car accidents. The reason is that both phenomena have the same cause: increasing population. It would be silly to conclude from these facts that that more green lawns lead to more car wrecks.

In this case, the actual number of car crashes HAS NOT INCREASED, only the number which involve cell phones. This strongly suggests that increased cell phone use does NOT lead to more crashes, only that more of the people who crashed were on the phone at the time.

People have been engaging in dangerous distractions at the wheel ever since the invention of the automobile. Drivers can be found shaving, applying makeup, messing with the stereo, groping for a dropped cigarette, yelling at children, reading books/newspapers and any other imaginable activity, all while zipping down the road at full speed. All of those activities can be dangerous, and all of them have caused accidents.

There is no rational reason for singling out cell phone use for punishment.